MATTY'S MINCEMEAT IN A MINUTE

Mincemeat can be very dividing. A lot of people love it but I know a lot who can't stand the stuff. If there is anything that will ever convert people to the joys of mincemeat it will be this recipe! More fresh and fruity than the jarred varieties that are rushed out onto supermarket shelves at this time of year, it's another treat you can add to your Christmas repertoire. It takes literally minutes to whip up a batch which you can use on the same day or store in sterilized jars to really intensify the flavor before baking.

THE RETURN OF JON'S CHILI DILLY PICKLES

There is always two firm camps when it comes to gherkins and pickles. There are those who will see one on a burger, instantly pick it off and throw it twenty miles away like its the dirtiest thing they have ever come across and there are those like myself who would happily sit and eat their way through a whole jar of them. With Christmas just around the corner, we thought it would be a good time to make another batch of Jon's yummy cucumbers pickled with oodles of dill and spices. Are they as good as shop bought pickles? They are better!

STREET N4 FINSBURY PARK LONDON (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

We're back in the big smoke this weekend and with tickets to see a show at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park we needed to find somewhere nearby to have  pre show nibble. How lucky for us then that Street N4 should be located right next door. When we saw that it sold burgers and burritos we were instantly sold so off we popped on the tube to go and see if the food tasted as good as it sounded.

"AFTER DINNER" BISCUIT BITES

If you took a look on here late September time you would of seen my 4C and 1G Biscuit Bites. These little treats really went down a storm when I made them so I decided to give them another spin and this time I gave them a little twist by swapping out the tinned caramel so that the coconut in the biscuit filling really becomes the star of the show. When you cover that filling with some proper good quality mint chocolate then you have a little nibble that is a great alternative to those famous after dinner mints (you know, those ones!).

ALBERT'S SCHLOSS MANCHESTER (MATTY B RECOMMENDS)

A Friday night visiting Manchester for a little boogie at it's famous arena meant that it was time to give another of the city's new food and drink offerings a whirl and this time it was the turn of Albert's Schloss in the trendy Deansgate area of the city centre that caught our eye. Inspired by the Bavarian and Bohemian areas of Europe; it boasts on its website of being the first Tankovna in Manchester as well as having its very own bakery and "cook haus". I didn't know what what a Tankovna was but it sounded intriguing so off we went to go check it out.

MIYAGI LIVERPOOL (MATTY B RECOMMENDS)

It was time for some more foodie adventures in Liverpool now with a trip to Miyagi. This Asian restaurant located in the city centre up the thriving foodie hot spot that is Bold Street specializes in street food treats from the Far East. A glance at the menu shows traditional nibbles sitting alongside classic dishes with modern twists. Miyagi's namesake is a legendary movie creation, would the food be able to stand up to the name?

PANORAMA RESTAURANT DUBROVNIK (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Our adventures in Croatia continued when we took the ferry from our base in Lopud over to Dubrovnik. When we got there we took a trip up the famous cable car and little did we know that at the top we would find Panorama Restaurant And Bar. Lunch now seemed like a no brainer.

THE RETURN OF THE CLASSIC LEMON TART

A simple classic can sometimes be as great as any over the top baking showstopper. Call it a "Tarte Au Citron" if you want to make it sound fancy but really all you have here a cracking perfectly baked shortcrust filled with a zesty lemon custard. Not only is it tasty and delicious but everyone is going to think that you are amazing when you tell them you made it from scratch. Follow the recipe below and you can have a classic lemon tart made from scratch turning yourself into a classically trained pastry chef in an instant!

MANDRAC LOPUD, CROATIA PART 2 (MATTY B RECOMMENDS)

If you read the first part to my review of Mandrac, located on the island of Lopud just off the Croatian coast you will remember how I said  it was so good we would have too go back for a second time before we left! On the last day of our wonderful holiday this is exactly what we decided to do. Was the first magnificent visit to Mandrac just a spectacular fluke or would this small family run restaurant be able to deliver the goods again and really show itself off to be a glorious jewel of the Adriatic sea?

MANDRAC LOPUD, CROATIA PART 1 (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

So I've just returned from a week away sunning myself on the beautiful island of Lopud, just off the coast of Croatia. During this week of rest and relaxation I had some of the best food of my life including two meals at this little restaurant called Mandrac. Situated on the same stretch of seaside strip as our hotel we discovered this little beauty on our first day and enjoyed it so much we went back on our last day. Let me tell you in this post about our first meal and exactly what made us fall in love this amazing restaurant.